


Separated By Time

by bep_bop



Series: Newsies Oneshots (Mostly Ralbert) [12]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Character Death, Heavy Angst, bad things happen in the refuge, but he heals, but uh, im also sorry to mike, im sorry ike, mike is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28185219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bep_bop/pseuds/bep_bop
Summary: Ike had spent a fair bit of time in the refuge, but Union Leader Jack Kelly comes to the rescue a little too late.
Series: Newsies Oneshots (Mostly Ralbert) [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982263
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Separated By Time

**Author's Note:**

> Tw!- death and grief  
> Please don't read this if you're sensitive to that
> 
> I cried while writing this btw  
> I never do that

t was absolutely terrifying when Jack came and whisked Ike out of the refuge. It was terrifying when Ike knew he wasn't gonna make it. It was terrifying when Mike got lost whilst selling.

Everyone was on edge whilst Jack was gone. Nobody knew where Mike was and nobody knew if Ike was even alive. It was all just one big gamble. They'd been having a hard time communicating with him whilst he was in the refuge, and Mike never came back from selling that day. They had sent Elmer out to find him about a half an hour ago. There was no news.

Jack did successfully get Ike out of the refuge and safely back to the Newsies Lodging House.

"Hey, hey," Jack was trying his best to keep the younger boy's eyes open. There was still a chance Ike could make it.

"Jacky 'm tired." He weakly said.

"I know Ike, I know. But you gotta keep your eyes open for me, 'kay?" Jack was desperate to keep Ike awake for Mike's arrival.

"I can't. I can't. 'M not gonna make it Jack. You'se gotta let me go." Ike glanced over at Jack, everything was blurry. He wasn't gonna see tomorrow.

There was the sound of a door opening, everyone in the room turned, expecting Mike. It was just Elmer.

"We, we couldn't find him." The young boy hunched his shoulders and turned his eyes to the floor, tears dripped out of his eyes.

Albert went over and pulled him into a hug, comforting the crying boy, before dissolving into tears himself.

Ike couldn't bear to watch his friends be like this. They all knew he didn't have long left. The clock was ticking. Time was running out.

"Hey," Came Crutchie's gentle voice from the bedside, "I know you're tired Ike. I know, but you gotta stay awake. Don't you wanna see Mike again?" Crutchie's voice cracked on every word, but he was trying to bring hope into the dying boy in front of him.

"I need him." Ike quietly whispered. "I need him. I need Mike. 'M not gonna- Where's Mike?" Ike was beginning to grow frantic. He felt like he was being shoved underwater. Time was almost up. Mike still wasn't there.

"Help." He quietly whispered. He didn't know what else to say. He didn't know what else he could say.

The voices around him muddled into a mess, tears were streaming down his face. He just wanted everyone else to go away. He needed Mike, the one who'd been by his side forever, wasn't there when he needed him most.

"Mike." He weakly put out. Glances were shot his way before some of the boys broke out into loud sobs.

Ike just blocked the noises out, he didn't need their pity. He needed Mike. Who wasn't there. Who nobody knew where he was.

But there went Ike's last shred of hope for seeing Mike one last time.

"G'night boys, tell Mike I love 'im and 'm sorry I couldn't stay awake for him." Ike looked over at Jack, donning a soft and sad smile before closing his eyes and going to sleep for the final time.

Jack grabbed Ike's hand, hoping for a response, but it was growing cold and his breathing had stopped.

"Ike?" Jack gently asked. "Isaac?" The boy was unresponsive.

Quite unfortunately, Mike had burst through the front door and made a beeline for Ike's bed.

"Ike?" His voice was frantic and shaking. "Ike c'mon wake up. I'm here now. Isaac, it's me, Michael. C'mon-"

Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes as he clutched his twin's hand. He was shaking, everything was telling him that Ike wasn't coming back, but something else told him that Ike was fine. But that wasn't true. Ike wasn't fine. He was gone.

Mike hadn't noticed, but the other boys had filtered out of the bunk room, leaving Mike and what was left of Ike alone.

"Ike," His voice was soft with a pleading tone, "Wake up Ike. Wake up..." He trailed off, knowing that Ike wasn't going to wake up.

The boys outside of the door flinched when they heard it. It was a loud, grief heavy sob of pain. Elmer reached for the door handle, but Jack softly put a hand on his and shook his head. Mike needed this time to himself.

Later, when Ike's body had been taken away and the boys had re-entered the room, they all noticed Mike's behavior. He was sitting on his bunk, fiddling with the hem of his blanket. Tears were still streaming down his face, he was in no shape to go selling the next day.

When the next morning did come, Mike didn't get out of bed. He had opened his eyes and just laid there, who knows what was going on inside his head. He was no doubt thinking about his twin, but that's the obvious part.

When the rowdy group returned after selling the evening paper, they hesitated at the door. Mike was sitting on Ike's bed, muttering something that they couldn't quite understand. He wasn't crying in that moment, but there was obvious evidence of tears on his face.

Though, as the weeks went on, Mike remained in a fragile state, but he insisted that he go sell. He refused to let anyone cover for him missing time. It never felt right though, Mike was aching over the loss of his selling partner, his other half, his best friend, his brother, Ike. Sometimes, his eyes still glossed over and he got a far away look. He was never 100% right after losing Ike.

But who would be?

But time went on and he managed, he managed the best he could and nobody could be prouder of him than his own brother. Ike was always by Mike even though he was dead. But he was so proud to watch his brother heal slowly and move on. He couldn't ask for more.

**Author's Note:**

> Im sorry, if it makes you feel better, this was vaguely based off of my worm on a string named Ike, fricking dying after removing him from the ceiling fan


End file.
